Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people have decided to reduce the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether.

Do you think the environmental benefits of this development outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and businesses?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In the contemporary world, numerous people refers to travelling by flights. Some people believe that they should reduce the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether. This small step can help them to save their money and time for travelling purpose. I firmly agree that environmental advantages are more than the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. My viewpoint is explained further is ensuing paragraphs.

To justify my stance of the environmental merits, one key point is that, it has a great impact on atmosphere by reducing the number of times travelling on flights. The main reason is that, the demand of the air travelling will decreased that often leads to drop the consumption of fuel. As a result, the air pollution can be control effectively. Furthermore, the importance of manufacturing of a plane will reduced. For that it minimise the effect of poisons metal which often cause soil pollution because the spear part is not biodegradable. For instance, when the plane is not used anymore, it is the waste. The demand will decrease so that pollution can reduce significantly.

Another significant aspect is that, the noise of flights create severe damage to the birds and animals. As a result, bio-diversity can take advantage of it. For instance, many mammals have a fear of the huge noise. This can help them to survive.

However, it cannot be denied that, the effects of these trend has a negative impact on businesses. One major aspect is that, the economy will impact dramatically.

In conclusion, although the negative effect on economy becomes worse, the effect on environment has significant benefits. Environmental advantages of air, noise and soli pollution has great chance to recover as well as biodiversity also face positive impacts towards this trend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for businesses. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention that air travel reduction helps the environment, the explanation regarding 'poisonous metal' and 'spear parts' is unclear and lacks logical depth. The discussion on the economic impact is also very brief and lacks specific examples or a clear explanation of why the impact would be 'dramatic'. To improve, ensure that each main point is supported by a clear, logical explanation and a concrete example that directly relates to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In conclusion', 'Furthermore', and 'However'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as 'My viewpoint is explained further is ensuing paragraphs'. Additionally, the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, making some sentences feel disconnected. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words more naturally and ensure that each sentence flows logically from the previous one to create a more cohesive argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms and occasionally use words incorrectly, such as 'spear part' (likely meaning 'spare parts') and 'poisons metal' (should be 'poisonous metals'). There are also issues with word forms, such as 'manufacturing of a plane will reduced' instead of 'will be reduced'. To reach a higher band, you should work on using more sophisticated vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices are accurate and appropriate for an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('numerous people refers to', 'the demand... will decreased') and incorrect preposition use. While these errors do not completely prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to cause some distraction. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, before attempting more complex structures. Proofreading for common errors like missing articles or incorrect verb forms would also be highly beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.